Valve-stem rim nut



Patented Dec)" 13, 1927.

UNITED STA TES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. FLEMING,

LUCK, WISCONSIN.

VALVE-STEM. Rm NUT.

Application filed June 7,

duces time and labor when putting tires on or taking them off of automobile wheels. In the accom anying drawing Fig. 1 is a si e elevation of a portion of a tire and an automobile wheel of the disc type and my improved rim nut in operative position..

Fig. 2 is a top view of the-nut members 99 in Fig. 1. I

Fi 3 is an enlarged section about as on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the lower nut memher 9 in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals I have shown, in Fig. 1, a portion of an automobile wheel of the disc type having a web 5 combined with a felly and tire rim 6 for holding any suitable type of neumatic tire 7, in the latter of which 1s the usual inner tube (not shown) having an inwardly and radially extendin filler tube 8 with a nut 9 and a cap 10. T 's filler tube. usually known as the valve stem, contains the usual inside valve (not shown) .for admitting and retaining air in the inner tube.

When a tire is .to be removed from the wheel the valve stem 8 must of course go with it, requiring first the removal of nut 9. With the construction hitherto used such removal of the nut involves considerable time and effort since the valve stem is quite long and threaded its entire length and dirt, snow, ice or other matter may make its removal diflicult. P

The last mentioned difliculty I overcome by so constructing the nut that it may be spread and slipped over the top of the screw. threads on the stem and then closed again when replaced on the valve stem threads near the' rim 6 againstwhich it is tightened 1n the usual manner. This'construction of the nut consists of making it ,of two members, an inner member!) and an outer member 9". The inner member is s litidiametrically into halves lor jaws 13 whic are pivoted'together at 11 and have an inserted compression coil "spring 12' tending at all times to spread the :jaws away'from the valve stem 8, which i '1 they normally engageby their inner threads 1926. Serial No. 114,209.

14. The jaws also have outer threads 15 on a cone shaped exterior. These threads are arranged to mesh with. internal threads 16 of the lower portion of the outer member,

said portion comprising an internal cone with said threads 16 in 1ts wider part while its smaller part has no threads but forms a clearance 17 (see Fig. 3) for an enlargement or collar 18 of the inner member to move through until it stops against an internal shoul or 19 and thereby prevents separation of the two members when disen a ed from the tube. 20 is the usual soft frictlon washer to prevent accidental rotation of the nut. p

As previously implied, when the valve stem is to be removed with the tire the nut member 9* is screwed upward a few turns allowing the jaws '13 to spread away from the stem which may thus be withdrawn and after the stem is replaced in the rim 6 the nut is pushed close to the felly and as its outer member is turned it closes the jaws 13 into the threads of the stem and the nut .as a whole is then tightened against the -with the outside threads of the inner mem- 1 her, said halves of the inner member being pivoted together so as to open and close,

and a spring arranged to spread the halves. 2. The structure specified in claim 1,' and means automatically preventing separation of the two nut members. p

3. The structure specified in claim 1, and means automatically preventing separation of the twon'ut members, said means consisting of circular meeting shoulders one upon the outer side of the inner member and the other upon the inward sideof the outer member. p Q

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

. WALTER 11. s mmer. 

